Club News, April 1954

Morgan 4/4 Club
A Photographic Rally was held on February 14th, starting from Lichfield.

The competitors each had a set of photographs, of which the map references were required, and two check points, at which they had to estimate their own time of arrival.

The course of 58 miles took competitors round Rugby, Hamstall-Ridware, Roshston, Harlaston, Shenstone and back to the finish at the Swan Hotel, Lichfield.

Provisional results were announced as follows: —
1st: G. Stallard (Morgan). 20 marks lost.
2nd: Miss A. Jervis (Morgan), 30 marks lost.
3rd: R. D. Butterell (M.G. TC), 43 marks lost.

M.C.C. Silverstone Meeting
The correct date of this meeting is July 3rd, not June 26th as originally announced.

Westmorland M.C.
The speed hill-climb organised by the Westmorland M.C. at Barbon Manor, near Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland, which has now become an annual event, is to be held on May 29th, 1954. This year it is hoped that the event will be even better than before as the R.A.C. have approved the incIusion of a class for 500-c-c. racing cars. The road is to be widened slightly over a length of about 400 yards and it is proposed to do this in April. The hill-climb is a closed invitation event, and the following clubs are to be invited: Lancashire Automobile Club, Vintage Sports Car Club, M.G. Car Club, Furness District Motor Club, Aston Martin Owners Club, Middlesbrough and District Motor Club and a 500-c.c. club.

Cemian M.C.
The Cemian M.C. will hold a driving test meeting on April 4th at Chingford, Essex, where they have an 880-yard course on private ground. Tests to suit all types of cars and a handicap sprint over -a slightly uphill 1/2-mile will be a feature. Details from: F. L. Rourke, 26, Soho Square, London, W.1.

R.A.C. Awards Malcolm Campbell Trophy To Rolt And Hamilton
The Sir Malcolm Campbell Memorial Trophy for 1953 has been awarded by the R.A.C. to Major A. P. R. Rolt and Mr. Duncan Hamilton for their performance in last year’s Le Mans 24-Hour Race. The Jaguar car which they drove averaged 105.85 miles an hour — the first time the race has been won at over 100 m.p.h.

This trophy is awarded annually by the Royal Automobile Club to the British competitor(s) making the most outstanding performance driving a British car in any form of motor competition. It was presented to the R.A.C. in 1950 by Mr. Donald Campbell, son of the late Sir Malcolm Campbell, in memory of his father. Previous winners of the trophy are:—
1950: Ian Appleyard (Jaguar) for his performance in the French International Alpine Rally.
1951: Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead (Jaguar) for winning the 24-Hour Le Mans Race.

1952: Sydney Allard (Allard) outright winner of the Monte Carlo Rally.

A Tough Treasure Hunt!
Last February’s Scrounge Hunt, for the members of the Blackpool and Fylde Motor Club, promised to be quite a normal affair until one of the members provided £40 in cash to the winner of the event, on condition he or she collected all the 56 articles, which each competitor had to find, and finished the course in the specified 3 1/2 hours. From then onwards enthusiasm for the event was terrific.Check points were within 15 miles radius of the club. All but one of the articles were collected.

The following are incidents that may be of interest.

Endeavouring to obtain “six mussels from the pier stanchions,” one competitor trod in what appeared to be a small pool, sank up to his middle, and spent the rest of the afternoon drying his smalls in the boiler-house.

One of “the boys,” being taken into a cellar by the farmer’s daughter to collect a frog from a dark corner under a sink, suddenly, scared to death by piercing screams, was terrified by the almost immediate appearance of a burly and irate father wielding a shovel. Cause of the bother, two mice.

Another, spying a cat at long last, stopped his car, dashed out, and after many fruitless attempts, caught the feline. Carefully taking its footprint on a suitable piece of paper as required, he was violently attacked from the rear by an enraged lady wielding an umbrella, shouting, “Don’t you dare touch my pussy, you so and so, I’ve had it pinched before.”

One farmer asked what could be done about a “cock’s comb,” smiled, went outside and returned with the necessary. Marvelling at the alacrity his request was complied with, the competitor was told, “Thas dun me a guid turn lad, t’wife can’t bear ’em killed, ah carna think up a guid excuise, an ah luv un for me tea.”

The general opinion was an interesting and amusing afternoon’s sport, with no time to waste.

Results:
1st:: Molly Hardman (and the five Doc Hardman Brood). Challenge Cup and Mounted Plaque.
2nd: Gordon Greaves, Mounted Plaque.
3rd: Peggy Murdoch. Mounted Plaque.
4th: John Sumners, 1st Class Award.
5th: Eric Stott, ist Class Award.
6th: H. Ashton, 1st Class Award.
Organisers: Ronald Smith and Barry Parkinson.

North London Enthusiats’ Car Club — Jacobean Trophy Trial
This was by way of being an experiment, in so far as this year it was planned to attract standard cars instead of trials “specials.” Out of an entry of 52, there were only five “specials,” and none of these figured in the results. Two aspects of the 1954 Jacobean possibly mark it out as unique. First, it was not quite like any other event, for not only were there the usual observed sections, but, in addition, three fairly spectacular driving tests, navigational tests, timed road sections, and a timed hill start with a penalty for running back. Secondly, it was won outright by one of the new Ford 1954 Anglias, which we believe is the first victory to be recorded by this model in an event of any size.

Messrs. W. Waters & Son gave splendid facilities for the start at Hatfield, likewise the King’s Arms, Stokenchurch, for the lunch stop, and the Bell House Hotel, Beaconsfield, for the finish.

The morning consisted of two timed sections, sandwiched between which were the driving tests at Whelpley Hill, the three tests being run off simultaneously. The venue of these tests was only found by the crews after piecing together numbers located at three grid points, these numbers forming into the required G.R.N.

But en route four questions had to be answered, and thus four more places to visit. Only four competitors remained unpenalised on the road section at the lunch stop: F. A. Freeman (Jowett), D. R. Wilkinson (Austin), R. N. Richards (Ford), and R. E. Roberts (Citroën). Ronnie Randall handled his TC M.G. with great skill in the tests, making f.t.d. in two of them, whilst Tony Young returned best time in Test Two with his PB M.G. The small Ford saloons had a fine tussle amongst themselves here: S. A. Hiscock, 1949 Anglia, F. H. Arthur, 1950 Anglia, and S. L. Pipe, 1947 Anglia, mixing it amongst themselves, and Robin Richards with the 1954 version being about level with them in the first — forward, reverse, forward into bay; a bit behind them in the second — in and out of pylons; and well ahead in the third — alternately forwards and backwards into four adjacent bays. The rain in the preceding week had not been sufficient to render the afternoon observed sections difficult; The Warren scored 12 failures, Bald Hill two, and the Icknield Way was quite innocuous. The timed start on the gradient on Pink Hill was quite entertaining, those rolling back being penalised when the light shone as evidence of their having done so. The invited clubs were: Chiltern, Public Schools, Cemian, Sporting O.D.s, London, Herts. and T.E.A.C.

Results:
Jacobean Trophy and Replica: R. N. Richards (1954 Ford Anglia), Chiltern CC., 122.5 marks lost.
Yew Tree Cup and Replica (best in opposite class — the open class) M. J. Lawrence (TC M.G.), Herts County A. & A.C., 136.7 marks lost.
First-Class Awards: de Casembroot (M.G.). R. Randall (M.G.), F. H. Arthur (Ford). E. J. Rainbird (Ford), H. Polakeff (Renault).
Second-Class Awards: S. L. Pipe (Ford), A. D. Heilbron (Morris). F. A. Freeman (Jowett), E. K. Lawrence (Hillman).
Special Award: J. Trigg (Hillman).
Team Prize: F. A. Freeman, S. L. Pipe and R. Randall. 440.4 marks lost.

S.C.C. Of Norfolk Pancake Rally (Feb. 21st)
There were over fifty competitors in the Sporting Car Club of Norfolk’s annual C.I. Pancake Rally. Several of the competitors were members of invited clubs, representing the Thames Estuary, West Essex, East Anglian, Eastern Counties and Peterborough Car Clubs. Amongst the cars entered were Jaguar XK120s, one of the new Austin Healeys, driven by members of the United States Air Force, several Dellows and a complete variety of other cars, open and closed.

The cars left Norwich at one minute intervals, maintaining an average speed of 24 m.p.h. to Snetterton Race Track, where two tests consisting of driving and reversing round pylons took place. The route then went north, covering secret check points as well as other time controls, the cars stopping for lunch at Watton.

There was one soft and very muddy cross-country section, which resulted in many cars losing their average speeds. Those cars with low ground clearances were travelling on their chassis in places, some baulking those competitors behind. Jimmy Risk, however, in his Zephyr took the section at full throttle, passing others by way of the banked sides when necessary. The average was then increased to 30 m.p.h. back to Snetterton, with more driving tests, and finally to Caister St. Edmunds. The smaller cars had the advantage on the driving tests, and as fifteen of the competitors lost no marks on the road section, the awards were decided by the test times. The Dellows put up the fastest times in these, the Austin Healey which had in use the normally “locked” bottom gear proved to be very steady on cornering with plenty of power for this type of event. Local club member R. Stanforth, in his 1947 Morris Eight, was extremely fast and neat in the driving tests, gaining third place in general classification. Amongst the competitors taking part were Bill Banks of the Peterborough Motor Club, who was last year’s runner up in the Tulip Rally, also J. Risk who did well in this year’s Monte Carlo Rally.

Results:
Team Prize: “Teacakes” from Thames Estuary Auto Club — Mrs. E. Price (H.R.G.), D. S. Price (Dellow, supercharged) and A. E. H. Parsons (Dellow).
Winner Pancake Trophy: A. E. H. Parsons (Dellow).
Class Winners — Up to 1.200 c.c. open: A. E. H. Parsons (Dellow); 1.200 – 1.900 c.c. open: R. Troughton (M.G.); over 1,900 c.c. open: J. Clarke (XK120); up to 1,200 c.c. closed: R. Stanforth (Morris 8-h.p.); 1,200-1,900 c.c. closed: G. H. Woodcock (Morris Oxford); over 1.900 c.c. closed: G. Terry (Citroën).
Specials — D. Price (supercharged Dellow).
Coupe de Dames — Mrs. K. M. Price (H.R.G.).